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United Premier Soccer League Announces Championship Tier in Central Conference

UPSL Championship Central Conference Slated to Kick Off Spring 2019

Published Aug 8, 2018

August 8, 2018 - Los Angeles - The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) is pleased to announce the addition of a second competitive tier to the Central Conference.

The UPSL Championship Central Conference will kick off with the 2019 Spring Season as the number of league members in Texas – currently the UPSL's fastest-growing state – swells to more than 20 clubs that are preparing for UPSL play next year.

The UPSL Pro Premier Central Conference now will be split into three six-team divisions – North, Heart and South – and initiate the league's Pro/Rel Model with the UPSL Championship Central Conference.

United Premier Soccer League Central Conference Manager Matt Kahla said, "I'm excited to announce that moving forward the Central Conference will have an additional tier with the UPSL Championship. The Central Conference has gone from 10 teams in Season One to nearly 30 teams currently. We're adding the Heart Division in the UPSL Pro Premier, and these adjustments will make the Central Conference even more competitive as every match will count when there's Promotion/Relegation at stake."

The Central Conference began UPSL Pro Premier games for the 2018 Spring Season with two divisions and a four-team playoff. Ft. Worth (Tex.)-based Inocentes FC (6-0-4 overall) emerged the Central Conference champion, defeating Dallas Elite FC, 3-2, in the first UPSL Central Conference Final on Saturday, Aug. 28.

United Premier Soccer League National Director Paul Lapointe said, "These are the kinds of soccer moves people all over the country have been waiting for, and it's the UPSL that is doing it! This will be such a positive move for soccer in Texas, which as everyone knows has been a great caretaker of the youth game for so long in the United States. It's great to see them expand on to the Pro Development scene like they have now that the UPSL's Pro/Rel Model is here to stay."

United Premier Soccer League

The UPSL was formed in 2011 and currently includes more than 200 teams in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. UPSL is the fastest growing Pro Development League in the USA, with 300-plus teams targeted for 2018 Fall Season. Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining either UPSL Pro Premier Division or Championship Division minimum standards.

UPSL teams are all eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the leagues affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).

More information about UPSL can be found at www.upslsoccer.com or by following the league on Facebook (www.facebook.com/upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer).